Yes, women's roles were very different in Shakespeare's time, and their position was more aligned with property. Often, marriages were arranged to provide political connections, and as Cynthia notes, forbidden when the families were warring, as with Romeo and Juliet. Consider Kate's position in Taming of the Shrew. Her younger sister cannot marry until Kate's married, and yet, Kate fights this -- literally and figuratively. Why?
Both plays this week offer two different sides -- Romeo and Juliet shows the tragic side of arranged marriages, while Taming of the Shrew takes a very different approach.
What might these two plays suggest about Shakespeare's interpretation of the role of marriage and women's roles as a result? Might there be a hidden message, and if so, what might it be?